Tension
by Lucathia Rykatu
Summary: Mashiro and Takagi argue over the reason for the popularity of their most recent chapter in Jump, disagreeing about the 'tension' between the male characters.


**Tension**

by Lucathia

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bakuman and am making no profit from this piece of fanwork.

**Notes:** written for Drae in the Yuletide 2008 challenge as a treat. This takes place sometime in the future and does not take into account canon after chapter 19.

* * *

They've had arguments but none this awkward. It starts when their serialization rises from 9th in Jump to 3rd. They puzzle over the sudden popularity with Mr. Hattori, who praises them for the refreshing character designs and the intriguing plot, but Mashiro thinks he knows what's really going on. Back at their studio, Mashiro pulls out the manuscript and flips through it again.

"Hey Shujin, remember how Mr. Hattori told us Money and Intelligence didn't do well with the younger kids and with girls?" asks Mashiro, his eyes gleaming.

"Yeah, that was back in Akamaru Jump."

Mashiro pulls out two pages from their manuscript, a spread of the main character and his friend, two really good looking guys. "We've done better with younger kids since then, but I think now we're finally getting to the girls."

Takagi's eyebrows rise past his hairline. "No way, you think that's the reason?" he exclaims, pointing at the spread Mashiro's holding in front of him.

Takagi's smart. He knows how people think, how their readers must think. Writing a name that moves people and makes them laugh without them realizing it was his biggest hurdle, but he's taken to it like second nature. He knows immediately what Mashiro is talking about. He's heard about the phenomenon in other shounen series, how it's usually unintended. He snatches the two pages out of Mashiro's hands and looks them over with a keen eye.

"Well, his friend is clapping him on the shoulder here to encourage him. You think the fangirls are feeling the tension here?"

Mashiro nods. "Definitely. It's like...Ichigo and Ishida...no, maybe more like Ichigo and Chad from Bleach, or hm, Gon and Killua from Hunter x Hunter. You know, those deep friendships. It'd be even more powerful if they were childhood friends with a common goal, coming to each other's help at the drop of a pin."

"You're such a romantic, Saiko," says Takagi as he looks at the spread again. "But that's what I like about you."

Mashiro drops the rest of the manuscript with a thud and scoots far away from his friend. "Did I say something wrong?" asks Takagi, his head tilted to the side.

"Shujin, you should read the atmosphere better than that. Considering what we're talking about right now, I can totally take that the wrong way," says Mashiro.

"What??" Takagi's eyes are wide. "I'm just being honest here!"

Mashiro sighs. Takagi's smart and not just book smart, but in some ways, he's still naive. He's also extremely skilled at putting his foot in his mouth, blabbering off like an idiot, and speaking so bluntly that it hurts. "Remember how you said you liked me before this too? Back in middle school?"

"I did say that," protests Takagi. "But I was just talking about your art! I mean, now it's not just about your art..."

Mashiro snorts, but he feels safe to approach the table again. This time is like all other times. Takagi is just being his hopeless self. "I'm glad no one overheard that. You're kind of hopeless with these matters. Look at what a mess you got yourself into with Iwase and Miyoshi. Miyoshi thought you were asking her out when you told her 'I wanted to talk to you.' 'I like you' is way more direct than that. Doesn't this mean I should think you're asking me out? I'm surprised no one's been gossiping about us considering how much time we spend together..."

Mashiro trails off and freezes. He doesn't think anyone has been gossiping about them since he hasn't heard anything, but gossip means that it doesn't necessarily have to travel to his ears. What have people been saying behind their backs? What must Azuki think about them?

"Shit, what if Azuki thinks something's up between us?" frets Mashiro while chewing on his fingernails.

"Why don't I ask Miyoshi what she thinks-"

Mashiro whirls around. "How thickheaded can you get? This isn't something you can ask your girlfriend about just like that! You'll just get punched again!"

Takagi takes a step back. "Whoa, calm down there! It's not a big matter. I mean, tension between friends? I really don't see it." He pulls out another page from their manuscript and shoves it in front of Mashiro.

"If you're talking tension, this is the real deal."

Mashiro takes the drawing from Takagi. His eyes dash over it, taking in the protagonist and his rival declaring their eternal rivalry for each other. It's hot-blooded rivalry and competition that binds these two together.

"Seriously, these two?" exclaims Mashiro. Now he's the one who's not seeing it.

Takagi walks over to the shelves and shelves of shounen manga. They've been adding newer series to the collection, and now the shelves are overflowing even more than before.

"How about Naruto and Sasuke from you know, that manga?" says Takagi as he flips the first volume open to the scene that all fangirls know about and shoves it in front of Mashiro's face. "The mangaka knew right from the beginning that fangirls would swoon over these two, so this piece of fanservice was included! Or what about Shindou and Touya from that go manga? They chase each other for years!"

Takagi throws a pile of Jump magazines in front of Mashiro, pointing to the front cover of one of the older editions. "Look at that cover with Light and L! You know how many readers they lost when you know what happened to L? The fangirls were disappointed!"

Mashiro holds up his hands to stop Takagi's gesturing. "Okay, I sort of see your point. But you know, that last example? I'm sure they were just disappointed because L wasn't around, not because of their relationship..."

The taller boy smirks as he pushes his glasses up. "No, it was way more than that. They saw it as a betrayal." He glances at the pile and pulls out the latest issue of Jump.

"Huh, moving onto more recent examples?" asks Mashiro. He wonders when Takagi became the expert on the inner thoughts of fangirls.

Takagi flips the magazine open to Niizuma's entry, watching in amusement at the immediate reaction in Mashiro.

"You know what? I see tension between you and Niizuma. Your eyes always fire up. You don't even get that look with Azuki. Should I wonder if there's something going on between you two?" teases Takagi.

"Whaat?!" exclaims Mashiro in horror. He shuts the magazine forcefully and throws it back into the pile. "I think this is enough research on this phenomenon."

Takagi chuckles, having successfully diverted Mashiro's attention. "I guess we'll just continue with our unintentional hints."

They get back to writing and drawing; however, now Takagi can't help but see himself and Saiko in the protagonist and his friend while he's writing their back story, and Mashiro can't help but look deeper into the fights he's drawing between the protagonist and his deadly rival.

When the results of the reader questionnaires come in for the next month, they throw their arms around each other in joy.

"We're second!" shouts Mashiro. Their research paid off.

Takagi is the first to jump back, his cheeks flushing. "Y-yeah!" he says with a cough. "Next, we're aiming for first!"

They get back into their story with even more fervor, but when they take the name of the next chapter to their editor, Mr. Hattori's eyes almost bulge out.

"I don't know what you two are thinking, but there's too much blatant flirting going around here. You're going to scare off the young boys."

He points at the lingering touches between the protagonist and his friend, and then at the rival who can't seem to stop harassing the protagonist.

Mashiro and Takagi hang their heads sheepishly.

"Oops?" they offer.

Perhaps they had just been a little too eager.

Hattori sighs, glad that he catches them at it before it gets published. He watches the two friends leave the building, the taller of the two hanging off the other's back, both of them musing over how to improve their story.

He never tells them that they might not stay friends, but it looks like he won't have to after all.

* * *

the end

Thanks for reading!


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